Dear Fam,
If you like rain, you'd love the rain here (when it rains.) Because when it rains... it POURS!!! Seriously, Sometimes when it rains, we get stuck outside and don't have umbrellas. It takes us by surprise so we get stuck underneath something that protects us from the rain. Like right now, it's sunny, but here in 30 minutes it could be pouring. It's like good ol' Utah weather. You know how they say "If ya don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."
An apartment by Brick Oven sounds great. I'm excited for it. Well scared and excited. It'll sure be strange. My companion is excited because he just got accepted to BYU today.
So about 2 weeks ago I spoke in church. I forgot to tell you that. I spoke in church the other day. It was fun. I talked about how there are people that we know that are ready to receive the truth that are all around us and all we need to do it open our mouths and tell them about it. I hope that at least some of the members got something out of it.
Pedregal is a branch that is bigger than some of the wards here in the zone. I think it's really close to becoming a Ward but I don't know. Maybe there are more things it needs. But in church this last week there were almost 100 people. That was cool.
In our stake the stake president wants to do a musical program with the missionaries. So guess who basically got put in charge. Yup, me. I'm guessing that's why I wasn't transfered, I need to do this music program. We had our first and only practice today and It sounds pretty good. I'm excited and hope that everything goes without a hitch. It's interesting to work with missionaries who know basically nothing about music. I hope they remember everything so that we can do the program all goody good.
I love reading the Ensign or the Liahona of the conference reports. It is so good. I read one by Elder Eyring the other day that has helped me a lot. He said to always work even though you are tired and exhausted. We must work. I loved it.
Right now my companion and I are finding new people to teach because the old people aren't progressing that well so we are basically going to start from scratch.
Endure to the End
Love you
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Movin' strong
Wow, I must say that my legs are pretty darn tired from soccer today. But afterwards we ate 2 bowls of Açai. You know the Brasilian fruit that everyone was basically talking about, yeah. It's so good. I love it.
We are hitting Carnaval. It's basically a big party here in Brasil. Everyone parties while the missionaries need to stay in the house. We have to get home early for about a week because it can be really dangerous here. Not just dangerous but scandalous. Honestly, from the little I've seen in the street and passing on TV (everyone watches TV) from all the little tid bits...wow. Watch out.
Today, I'm good. Great. I'm a little tired but that is basically every day especially a day of soccer. This week was really hard. We had transfers, meetings, meetings and more meetings. My companion and I basically lost 3 days just because of meetings we needed to go to. On the days we had free to work nothing happened until Sunday, last day of the week. We were walking past a house, I was on the phone resolving problems and my companion just stopped at a house we were walking past and started talking. This led to entering the house and teaching. They are a good family... well, not married family but they are still potential to progress. We are way excited. After a week of almost nothing, finally a result.
We are still working with the same people and they are all kind of... stopped. We need to do something different or find new people.
Maicon is only missing permission from his mom. She won't give it because she says that Maicon doesn't obey her enough. She basically says that it's our fault that he isn't changing and that our lessons aren't changing him. But we see a difference. I don't know how she doesn't see it.
Waldivino still is going to church. We can't get him to accept a date or stop smoking. But honestly after time of going to church he is probably going to ask to be baptized.
Sávio is still there, his foot is getting better. He went to another church the other day so now we know that he can go to church. We are going to work on that. Him in Chruch. Get him in and he'll ask to be baptized.
Family ties are strong, if Jess stayed in Idaho I would find time to go there.
Movin on, movin strong
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
We are hitting Carnaval. It's basically a big party here in Brasil. Everyone parties while the missionaries need to stay in the house. We have to get home early for about a week because it can be really dangerous here. Not just dangerous but scandalous. Honestly, from the little I've seen in the street and passing on TV (everyone watches TV) from all the little tid bits...wow. Watch out.
Today, I'm good. Great. I'm a little tired but that is basically every day especially a day of soccer. This week was really hard. We had transfers, meetings, meetings and more meetings. My companion and I basically lost 3 days just because of meetings we needed to go to. On the days we had free to work nothing happened until Sunday, last day of the week. We were walking past a house, I was on the phone resolving problems and my companion just stopped at a house we were walking past and started talking. This led to entering the house and teaching. They are a good family... well, not married family but they are still potential to progress. We are way excited. After a week of almost nothing, finally a result.
We are still working with the same people and they are all kind of... stopped. We need to do something different or find new people.
Maicon is only missing permission from his mom. She won't give it because she says that Maicon doesn't obey her enough. She basically says that it's our fault that he isn't changing and that our lessons aren't changing him. But we see a difference. I don't know how she doesn't see it.
Waldivino still is going to church. We can't get him to accept a date or stop smoking. But honestly after time of going to church he is probably going to ask to be baptized.
Sávio is still there, his foot is getting better. He went to another church the other day so now we know that he can go to church. We are going to work on that. Him in Chruch. Get him in and he'll ask to be baptized.
Family ties are strong, if Jess stayed in Idaho I would find time to go there.
Movin on, movin strong
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, February 06, 2012
Tender Mercies
Dear Fam,
Mom, it was strange to see "sent from my IPad at the bottom of every email. Since when does my mom know anything about technology.
Well, we are in our last week of the transfers and it looks like everything is going up. Looking up and going. We have about 6 men we are working with that can go to church this Sunday and we have a young man who wants to get baptized this week. We did his baptismal fecha the other day and we will return tonight to talk with his mom and get her to sign it. This kids name is Maicon. Remember him? His mom basically kicked us out and didn't want us to come back. After 4 weeks, Maicon went to church saying that his mom will let him get baptized. We are pretty excited. Tender Mercies.
We are teaching 6 men
Fêlix, Cicero, Savio, Hernando, Lucas, Gerson and then have some others. Waldivino, Arí and Meikon.
This is the biggest group of men I have ever taught in my mission. 3 or four of them have accepted baptism. It's way cool to see them grow and change too.
Dang, carry everything around again. Man, I don't know if my suitcases will handle it. But I'll find a way.
Well, I honestly don't have any more news this week. I'm just tired from playing soccer.
Sorry, I don't have more news.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Mom, it was strange to see "sent from my IPad at the bottom of every email. Since when does my mom know anything about technology.
Well, we are in our last week of the transfers and it looks like everything is going up. Looking up and going. We have about 6 men we are working with that can go to church this Sunday and we have a young man who wants to get baptized this week. We did his baptismal fecha the other day and we will return tonight to talk with his mom and get her to sign it. This kids name is Maicon. Remember him? His mom basically kicked us out and didn't want us to come back. After 4 weeks, Maicon went to church saying that his mom will let him get baptized. We are pretty excited. Tender Mercies.
We are teaching 6 men
Fêlix, Cicero, Savio, Hernando, Lucas, Gerson and then have some others. Waldivino, Arí and Meikon.
This is the biggest group of men I have ever taught in my mission. 3 or four of them have accepted baptism. It's way cool to see them grow and change too.
Dang, carry everything around again. Man, I don't know if my suitcases will handle it. But I'll find a way.
Well, I honestly don't have any more news this week. I'm just tired from playing soccer.
Sorry, I don't have more news.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Dear Fam,
So all is good and all is well is Zion. Tudo bem. Tudo bem.
The reason why I didn't say anything about leadership in the past is that it shouldn't matter.
I was a District Leader in Valparaíso 1 for 3 months and then turned a Zone leader here in pedregal. In our mission we really don't have a jr. Zone leader and a Sr. Zone leader but if you want to think about it that way, this transfer I went a Sr. Zone Leader. I've been a zone leader here in pedregal for 3 transfers. Basically 2 como Jr zone leader and 1 como Sr.
I'm hoping meiken progreses too because he has started to work and it's been hard to find him again. But he's still only smoking 1 cigerette. It's a good thing. Now the hard part is getting off that one.
So Silver is
5 lessons with member
15 lessons in total (including other lessons and lessons with member)
2 in church and one of them with a dare
4 new investigators
Gold is
1 baptism or confirmation (You can get gold twice on the same investigator)
10 lessons with member
25 lessons in total (including other lessons and lessons with member)
4 in church and two of them with a date
7 New investigators
The reason we have two is that silver is the floor standard. It should be about 80% of the mission getting it. Right now we have about 40% getting it. The silver acts like a spring to get the gold. Usually those who get silver one week can get the gold in the next because there is at least 1 person at church with a date. This week we are going for silver because we don't have anyone who can get baptized or confirmed this week.
But we try to focus not on getting the Standard but on inviting other to come unto Christ. That is our purpose. Our purpose is not to get silver or gold. Silver and Gold are just a way we can accomplish our purpose. We could even work with less actives all the time and get them going to church and helping them return and we will accomplish our purpose. Invite others to come unto Christ.
One thing I learned is to invite others to come unto Christ, we need to be there first. We can't push or pull people to Christ. We can't show them the way to Christ. We invite them to come to a place were we are. That's why people say 'you can't convert someone to a higher level than you are.'
I wish we could have a giant stake conference like you had, mom. It's needed. Honestly. In every area I've passed through, there are only 5 or less really converted men in the area and only 1 or less can pass the idea to others. The church grows really fast in Brasil. The difficulty is getting them to stay strong because the church is still growing here.
All is well = Tudo bem
Tudo bem em Sião = all is well in Zion.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So all is good and all is well is Zion. Tudo bem. Tudo bem.
The reason why I didn't say anything about leadership in the past is that it shouldn't matter.
I was a District Leader in Valparaíso 1 for 3 months and then turned a Zone leader here in pedregal. In our mission we really don't have a jr. Zone leader and a Sr. Zone leader but if you want to think about it that way, this transfer I went a Sr. Zone Leader. I've been a zone leader here in pedregal for 3 transfers. Basically 2 como Jr zone leader and 1 como Sr.
I'm hoping meiken progreses too because he has started to work and it's been hard to find him again. But he's still only smoking 1 cigerette. It's a good thing. Now the hard part is getting off that one.
So Silver is
5 lessons with member
15 lessons in total (including other lessons and lessons with member)
2 in church and one of them with a dare
4 new investigators
Gold is
1 baptism or confirmation (You can get gold twice on the same investigator)
10 lessons with member
25 lessons in total (including other lessons and lessons with member)
4 in church and two of them with a date
7 New investigators
The reason we have two is that silver is the floor standard. It should be about 80% of the mission getting it. Right now we have about 40% getting it. The silver acts like a spring to get the gold. Usually those who get silver one week can get the gold in the next because there is at least 1 person at church with a date. This week we are going for silver because we don't have anyone who can get baptized or confirmed this week.
But we try to focus not on getting the Standard but on inviting other to come unto Christ. That is our purpose. Our purpose is not to get silver or gold. Silver and Gold are just a way we can accomplish our purpose. We could even work with less actives all the time and get them going to church and helping them return and we will accomplish our purpose. Invite others to come unto Christ.
One thing I learned is to invite others to come unto Christ, we need to be there first. We can't push or pull people to Christ. We can't show them the way to Christ. We invite them to come to a place were we are. That's why people say 'you can't convert someone to a higher level than you are.'
I wish we could have a giant stake conference like you had, mom. It's needed. Honestly. In every area I've passed through, there are only 5 or less really converted men in the area and only 1 or less can pass the idea to others. The church grows really fast in Brasil. The difficulty is getting them to stay strong because the church is still growing here.
All is well = Tudo bem
Tudo bem em Sião = all is well in Zion.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, January 23, 2012
Hello Family,
Well this week was a week full of goodness, It was an amazing week. I loved it. We worked "até o pó" (until the dust). It was a really good week. Honestly I feel great about everything until now. I'm still growing and I don't know what to do in every situation but I'm growing and that's a good thing.
We had a baptism that was way good, I'll send a picture. We have some perspectives for the 4th and the 11th which are way good too.
I have too much stuff that it's really hard to carry it around on every transfer. For example I have a bag I don't use. Basically my big bag I just keep all the stuff that I never use. It's about half full and thinking about how full it was when I left, I don't know how I'm making it to every transfer with everything. I'm wanting to send home the stuff I never use. I've been trying to send it home for the last 6 months and I could never get it off.
I've honestly reached the point where I don't want to go home. Unfortunately it's an inevitable end that all missions come too. But if it wasn't for a visa, I would try to stay longer on the mission. I'm learning probably more than I will in two years at home.
There are A LOT of things I haven't told you during my mission. I've probably told you less than half of my mission and I want to apologize that it took me 1 year and 5 months to realize that I should tell these things. I'm not the best but I'm learning.
So, I can't tell you everything right now but I'll tell you one thing that happened this week and I'll keep telling things about the mission in other emails.
Right now I'm in Pedregal as a Zone Leader. I'm been here for about 3 and 1/2 months. One thing that I love from being a Zone Leader is doing Interviews. I did an Interview for a lady named Maria leidilane. She is married but her husband didn't want to join the church. He was totally against it but she went right ahead and wanted to get baptized. Her husband tried tempting her with coffee a lot of times but she held strong. One thing that I wanted to share was during the Interview, we were talking about her family and something really cool happened. We were talking about how families can be forever and I had the strongest Impression that her husband would be baptized one day too. I started to cry because I knew and I know that God loves this lady so much. It was one experience that marked my mission and it has been one thing that I love to do. I love to Interview the people getting ready for baptism.
My new year's resolution was to write in my journal too. so far... so good.
I had an experience just like that Elder that got hit but a truck, except I wasn't hit. This was about 7 - 10 months ago. I was in Planaltina de Goias and the buses there are crazy. Truely crazy. I've never seen bus drivers like the ones there. Well I was walking with my District Leader (who had already been my companion Elder Santos) and we were with the Branch President walking to do a visit with him in a place really far. Well,we were walking up a hill that went slightly up. We were walking and walking and a bus passed us. This street is a pretty big street and here... we usually walk in the street or close. In that particular area we had to walk in the street. The street was big enough for two buses going in the same direction on one side and two buses going in the other direction on the other side. A bus passed us and I just had a feeling to look behind me. Right when I turned, another bus passed right where the right side of my body had been 1 second before. It's really interesting how the Lord protects. He does that for all the missionaries in the whole world.
Right now we are working with Meiken (Mike). Remember him from a while ago. We could never find him but we found him again and he is doing good. He was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes and now has only smoking 1 or 2 cigarettes per day. He wants to get baptized. He told us "I got to get me baptized." We are working with him for Dia 4 de Março.
In our mission, we have two Standards of Excellence, a Silver and a Gold. The Silver works like a base line of the work we need to do and the Gold is the hard one. The president wants that 80%of the mission gets silver. It's like the minimum work we should do. Well one thing I'm way excited about is that these last two weeks me and Elder Giles have gotten Silver. But this week we went for Gold. It was amazing. We threw it all in, planned and did it.
I hope you like the letter because it's cram packed with information. Hope your brain doesn't explode.
Endure to the End (of the Letter)
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Well this week was a week full of goodness, It was an amazing week. I loved it. We worked "até o pó" (until the dust). It was a really good week. Honestly I feel great about everything until now. I'm still growing and I don't know what to do in every situation but I'm growing and that's a good thing.
We had a baptism that was way good, I'll send a picture. We have some perspectives for the 4th and the 11th which are way good too.
I have too much stuff that it's really hard to carry it around on every transfer. For example I have a bag I don't use. Basically my big bag I just keep all the stuff that I never use. It's about half full and thinking about how full it was when I left, I don't know how I'm making it to every transfer with everything. I'm wanting to send home the stuff I never use. I've been trying to send it home for the last 6 months and I could never get it off.
I've honestly reached the point where I don't want to go home. Unfortunately it's an inevitable end that all missions come too. But if it wasn't for a visa, I would try to stay longer on the mission. I'm learning probably more than I will in two years at home.
There are A LOT of things I haven't told you during my mission. I've probably told you less than half of my mission and I want to apologize that it took me 1 year and 5 months to realize that I should tell these things. I'm not the best but I'm learning.
So, I can't tell you everything right now but I'll tell you one thing that happened this week and I'll keep telling things about the mission in other emails.
Right now I'm in Pedregal as a Zone Leader. I'm been here for about 3 and 1/2 months. One thing that I love from being a Zone Leader is doing Interviews. I did an Interview for a lady named Maria leidilane. She is married but her husband didn't want to join the church. He was totally against it but she went right ahead and wanted to get baptized. Her husband tried tempting her with coffee a lot of times but she held strong. One thing that I wanted to share was during the Interview, we were talking about her family and something really cool happened. We were talking about how families can be forever and I had the strongest Impression that her husband would be baptized one day too. I started to cry because I knew and I know that God loves this lady so much. It was one experience that marked my mission and it has been one thing that I love to do. I love to Interview the people getting ready for baptism.
My new year's resolution was to write in my journal too. so far... so good.
I had an experience just like that Elder that got hit but a truck, except I wasn't hit. This was about 7 - 10 months ago. I was in Planaltina de Goias and the buses there are crazy. Truely crazy. I've never seen bus drivers like the ones there. Well I was walking with my District Leader (who had already been my companion Elder Santos) and we were with the Branch President walking to do a visit with him in a place really far. Well,we were walking up a hill that went slightly up. We were walking and walking and a bus passed us. This street is a pretty big street and here... we usually walk in the street or close. In that particular area we had to walk in the street. The street was big enough for two buses going in the same direction on one side and two buses going in the other direction on the other side. A bus passed us and I just had a feeling to look behind me. Right when I turned, another bus passed right where the right side of my body had been 1 second before. It's really interesting how the Lord protects. He does that for all the missionaries in the whole world.
Right now we are working with Meiken (Mike). Remember him from a while ago. We could never find him but we found him again and he is doing good. He was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes and now has only smoking 1 or 2 cigarettes per day. He wants to get baptized. He told us "I got to get me baptized." We are working with him for Dia 4 de Março.
In our mission, we have two Standards of Excellence, a Silver and a Gold. The Silver works like a base line of the work we need to do and the Gold is the hard one. The president wants that 80%of the mission gets silver. It's like the minimum work we should do. Well one thing I'm way excited about is that these last two weeks me and Elder Giles have gotten Silver. But this week we went for Gold. It was amazing. We threw it all in, planned and did it.
I hope you like the letter because it's cram packed with information. Hope your brain doesn't explode.
Endure to the End (of the Letter)
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Dear Readers,
I'm sorry I didn't post Matt's letter last week. His day to write letters this week was on Thursday and I was in the middle of zone conferences. I forgot to send it till now. In my last letter to him I asked him some questions to stimulate his thinking. These are the questions:
1. Have you had the chance to be a Sr. Companion? It’s okay to tell us things like leadership opportunities, baptisms, teaching experiences, contacting experiences. I love to hear those types of things. I feel you purposely don’t tell us the good things you do. It isn’t bragging.
2.Tell me when you felt the spirit this week and the events surrounding it.
3. Tell me a funny experience
4.What do you do on preparation day? Our missionaries have to wash the car and sometimes wax it. You don’t have that responsibility. What is it like to go food shopping? What are the stores like?
5.How are you feeling?
6.Tell us the everyday activities of a Brazilian. Do they have siestas? What is unusual that we don’t do in the states?
I felt that you needed to know the questions because he answers them randomly with no explanation. It's a trick to figure out where he is going. I'm grateful for the juicy letter. Mom/Marilyn
Dear Fam,
Today we don't have a lot of time because in 20 mins we need to leave because my companion needs to do an interview. So, I'm sorry if I don't get everything responded to because I still need to write president.
Elder Giles has been in the pageant and his dad is the director of the pageant. So he knows exactly what you are talking about. Me, I'm still a little bit clueless.
(Matt's comp is from Castle Dale so I told him in the last letter about the pageant there and the times we went to it - Mom)
Sorry for not saying anything for the last while about it. I just don't like to talk about it... but if you want to know about it I will tell you.
I've been a senior since about May. It's been a new experience. It's been pretty cool to teach and take the lead in some lesson but honestly, I have so much to change. My new companion, Elder Giles, has shown me a whole bunch of stuff that I can do to become better from the way I talk to people to the way we teach. I used to teach a little like a robot. I've been working on overcoming that and learning on how to really teach people.We had a really good lesson with a man named Sávio. He is really good. The only problem is that he has a broken foot. It's been broken for about 1 month and he is having a hard time going to church because of it. But the first lesson with him this last week was amazing. We saw him driving a car yesterday so that's a good sign. We will see what's going to happen there.
We had a meeting with President Geartner on Monday, (which is the reason why I'm writing today.) and it was really good. He talked to us about helping others around us and living by example. Teaching by example and being a better example are somethings that I want to strive for plus doing better contacts and meet more people and not being afraid.
Funny experience, Well not funny but good. We ate at Burger King today. It was sooooo good.
On preparationg day we email, write letter and clean the house and sleep. Maybe study. Eat at burger king. Do some fun activities. Food shopping is just like a grocery store. Nothing different. It's big and cool and has food inside. I think that's how it is in the states. I usually eat oatmeal, milk and chocolate mix in the milk. It's way good.
I'm feeling good. Honestly. I have a lot to get better at and it's overwhelming sometimes all the things that need to be done in missionary work. You know how I'm antsy about the future. I just need to take things step by step. Other than that I'm great. I need to follow the counsel in 3 Néfi when it says focus on today and don't worry about tomorrow.
An unusual thing about Brazil is all the houses are tiles. There is no carpet and to clean you just throw water, soap, scrub with a broom and then use a squigee to take all the water out. That's something different. Also the showers only have one setting, cold. To take a warm shower you need to buy a shower head that is hooked up to the electricity and when the water passes through, it warms up. It's just a little bit different. Our water heater you usually don't see. Also they are supposed to have building permits to build stuff... but... they usually overpass that and just build. So it ends up with some pretty cool building. But they are sometimes strange.
I have make a goal to study the missionary manual to be more obedient. I've been studying in depth so I read all the scriptures and follow references and everything. I've read about 5 pages in 4 days. somewhere around that time. I also have a goal to study more of Preach my Gospel because that is something that has been lacking. The last time I studied all the way through was about a year ago. So I need to focus again and learn something more. I also want to learn more scripture references and read the Bible , D&C and Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon in Spanish before the end of my mission. It's a lot of goals but I know when I plan I can do them. I'm way excited this year to learn more about everything. Knowledge is a Christ-like attribute and through this I can accompish more Christ-like attributes. It's going to be an amazing year. I'm excited.
I just want to challenge every single one of you to pick a spiritual goal like reading the scriptures everyday or studying Preach my Gospel. Or read and study the bible. Or read one of the Teaching of the Prophets books. The gospel principles book is a goody. I know we can all strive to gain more knowledge about how we can help others and helps ourselves. After you gain the knowledge. Apply it.
I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
I'm sorry I didn't post Matt's letter last week. His day to write letters this week was on Thursday and I was in the middle of zone conferences. I forgot to send it till now. In my last letter to him I asked him some questions to stimulate his thinking. These are the questions:
1. Have you had the chance to be a Sr. Companion? It’s okay to tell us things like leadership opportunities, baptisms, teaching experiences, contacting experiences. I love to hear those types of things. I feel you purposely don’t tell us the good things you do. It isn’t bragging.
2.Tell me when you felt the spirit this week and the events surrounding it.
3. Tell me a funny experience
4.What do you do on preparation day? Our missionaries have to wash the car and sometimes wax it. You don’t have that responsibility. What is it like to go food shopping? What are the stores like?
5.How are you feeling?
6.Tell us the everyday activities of a Brazilian. Do they have siestas? What is unusual that we don’t do in the states?
I felt that you needed to know the questions because he answers them randomly with no explanation. It's a trick to figure out where he is going. I'm grateful for the juicy letter. Mom/Marilyn
Dear Fam,
Today we don't have a lot of time because in 20 mins we need to leave because my companion needs to do an interview. So, I'm sorry if I don't get everything responded to because I still need to write president.
Elder Giles has been in the pageant and his dad is the director of the pageant. So he knows exactly what you are talking about. Me, I'm still a little bit clueless.
(Matt's comp is from Castle Dale so I told him in the last letter about the pageant there and the times we went to it - Mom)
Sorry for not saying anything for the last while about it. I just don't like to talk about it... but if you want to know about it I will tell you.
I've been a senior since about May. It's been a new experience. It's been pretty cool to teach and take the lead in some lesson but honestly, I have so much to change. My new companion, Elder Giles, has shown me a whole bunch of stuff that I can do to become better from the way I talk to people to the way we teach. I used to teach a little like a robot. I've been working on overcoming that and learning on how to really teach people.We had a really good lesson with a man named Sávio. He is really good. The only problem is that he has a broken foot. It's been broken for about 1 month and he is having a hard time going to church because of it. But the first lesson with him this last week was amazing. We saw him driving a car yesterday so that's a good sign. We will see what's going to happen there.
We had a meeting with President Geartner on Monday, (which is the reason why I'm writing today.) and it was really good. He talked to us about helping others around us and living by example. Teaching by example and being a better example are somethings that I want to strive for plus doing better contacts and meet more people and not being afraid.
Funny experience, Well not funny but good. We ate at Burger King today. It was sooooo good.
On preparationg day we email, write letter and clean the house and sleep. Maybe study. Eat at burger king. Do some fun activities. Food shopping is just like a grocery store. Nothing different. It's big and cool and has food inside. I think that's how it is in the states. I usually eat oatmeal, milk and chocolate mix in the milk. It's way good.
I'm feeling good. Honestly. I have a lot to get better at and it's overwhelming sometimes all the things that need to be done in missionary work. You know how I'm antsy about the future. I just need to take things step by step. Other than that I'm great. I need to follow the counsel in 3 Néfi when it says focus on today and don't worry about tomorrow.
An unusual thing about Brazil is all the houses are tiles. There is no carpet and to clean you just throw water, soap, scrub with a broom and then use a squigee to take all the water out. That's something different. Also the showers only have one setting, cold. To take a warm shower you need to buy a shower head that is hooked up to the electricity and when the water passes through, it warms up. It's just a little bit different. Our water heater you usually don't see. Also they are supposed to have building permits to build stuff... but... they usually overpass that and just build. So it ends up with some pretty cool building. But they are sometimes strange.
I have make a goal to study the missionary manual to be more obedient. I've been studying in depth so I read all the scriptures and follow references and everything. I've read about 5 pages in 4 days. somewhere around that time. I also have a goal to study more of Preach my Gospel because that is something that has been lacking. The last time I studied all the way through was about a year ago. So I need to focus again and learn something more. I also want to learn more scripture references and read the Bible , D&C and Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon in Spanish before the end of my mission. It's a lot of goals but I know when I plan I can do them. I'm way excited this year to learn more about everything. Knowledge is a Christ-like attribute and through this I can accompish more Christ-like attributes. It's going to be an amazing year. I'm excited.
I just want to challenge every single one of you to pick a spiritual goal like reading the scriptures everyday or studying Preach my Gospel. Or read and study the bible. Or read one of the Teaching of the Prophets books. The gospel principles book is a goody. I know we can all strive to gain more knowledge about how we can help others and helps ourselves. After you gain the knowledge. Apply it.
I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, January 09, 2012
New Year
FELIZ ANO NOVO!!!! FELIZ DOIS MIL E DOZE (2012)
Querido Família, (Dear Family)
Eu Amo Vocês!!! (I love you)
It was so great to see you (almost) all on Christmas and I hope that everyone is having a wonderful New Year.
One thing strange or awesome about Brasil is that there were A LOT of Fireworks on new years. I woke up, watched a little bit and couldn't go back to sleep because it was so loud. It was a cool experience. I was actually surprised with how many fireworks there were. I'm in a poorer area and I was surprised with how many fireworks people bought.
I wrote a whole bunch of notes on my patriarchal blessing, now I need to go back and review them because there is a lot of things there that I can learn from and grow from.
New years was a day like any other day for me. Only difference is that we woke up around mid night to look at the fireworks. But honestly, people are a lot happier here during Christmas and New Years. I hope it lasts.
I think the biggest difference for me is that my plans now need to include what is going to happen after the mission. It's strange to think that in 7 months, everything isn't planned for me. I need to actually plan 100% of my days. I'm so excited to do love gifts for next year. I'm already planning something awesome.
So for transfers, I stayed in the same area and got a new companion, His name is Elder Giles and he's also from Utah. He's from Castle dale (try finding that on a map.) He is actually in my same group. We will be going home together and we are way excited to work together.
I love Lehi's dream and thanks on the insights. I find that the best way we learn is sharing what we learned. Something cool that I learn this week was in church. We learned about the mission of the church. The mission is to invited all to come unto Christ. We learned about three over lapping circles 1. Missionary work 2. Perfecting the saints 3. Work for the Dead. These three circles overlap in a way that when we are doing missionary work, we are becoming more perfected. When we are doing the work for the dead we are becoming more perfected and helping missionary work. When we become more perfect, we have a desire to serve others and help in missionary work and go to the temple. So you could say that we should have some goals as members of the church. 1. Help the missionary work 2. Go the the temple and do work for the dead 3. Become Perfect.
I loved this lesson we had in church. I hope you all can learn from it too.
I love you and hope everything is going wonderfully good.
Do what is right.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Querido Família, (Dear Family)
Eu Amo Vocês!!! (I love you)
It was so great to see you (almost) all on Christmas and I hope that everyone is having a wonderful New Year.
One thing strange or awesome about Brasil is that there were A LOT of Fireworks on new years. I woke up, watched a little bit and couldn't go back to sleep because it was so loud. It was a cool experience. I was actually surprised with how many fireworks there were. I'm in a poorer area and I was surprised with how many fireworks people bought.
I wrote a whole bunch of notes on my patriarchal blessing, now I need to go back and review them because there is a lot of things there that I can learn from and grow from.
New years was a day like any other day for me. Only difference is that we woke up around mid night to look at the fireworks. But honestly, people are a lot happier here during Christmas and New Years. I hope it lasts.
I think the biggest difference for me is that my plans now need to include what is going to happen after the mission. It's strange to think that in 7 months, everything isn't planned for me. I need to actually plan 100% of my days. I'm so excited to do love gifts for next year. I'm already planning something awesome.
So for transfers, I stayed in the same area and got a new companion, His name is Elder Giles and he's also from Utah. He's from Castle dale (try finding that on a map.) He is actually in my same group. We will be going home together and we are way excited to work together.
I love Lehi's dream and thanks on the insights. I find that the best way we learn is sharing what we learned. Something cool that I learn this week was in church. We learned about the mission of the church. The mission is to invited all to come unto Christ. We learned about three over lapping circles 1. Missionary work 2. Perfecting the saints 3. Work for the Dead. These three circles overlap in a way that when we are doing missionary work, we are becoming more perfected. When we are doing the work for the dead we are becoming more perfected and helping missionary work. When we become more perfect, we have a desire to serve others and help in missionary work and go to the temple. So you could say that we should have some goals as members of the church. 1. Help the missionary work 2. Go the the temple and do work for the dead 3. Become Perfect.
I loved this lesson we had in church. I hope you all can learn from it too.
I love you and hope everything is going wonderfully good.
Do what is right.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hello my dearest Family,
So Natal (Christmas) is coming. It's right around the corner. It's comin quick. 7 days.
I'm fine now. I don't really feel sick but I'm keeping the same weight. Not going up or going down.
I would love to skype and talk with you alls. In the last letter we got from president they changed it to 45 mins. I can skype totally tranquilo (peace). Wow, some sayings in portugues just don't work in English. But I honestly don't know what time it will be at... yet... It's not a good thing that I don't know. Maybe you might just need to be ready because I don't know when my companion will talk with his family and I don't know when the Brasilians will talk with their families. So it's all up in the air about the time. You just might get an email the day of telling you. I'm so sorry, mom. Just have the e-mail on your phone open and ready to roll. (Sorry, This year is not so organized)
So, we had practice today for the Christmas Conference and it was pretty good. The music is hard and for missionaries, they are doing fantastic. They are doing wonderful. They sound sooooo good.
I'll let you know what happens next week from the Christmas Party.
We had the branch Christmas party this last Saturday and it was pretty fun. We had 3 Investigators there and a whole bunch of people. A funny thing from the party is that it was supposed to start at 7 o clock. But it really didn't start until 8:30ish. It's called Mormon Standard Time mixed with Brasilian Standard Time. Things never start on time. It's guaranteed. (Sorry for the spelling)
But since it started at almost 9 o clock and we probably had to go before we could eat, our Branch President took one of our phones, called the President of the Mission and asked him if we could stay longer. The Mission President said we could stay out as long as we liked just as long as we were with the Branch President. Woah. We got risky and got home at 10:25 and I was sleeping at 10:30. Talk about risky buisness.
Just a side note. I never thought it would be easy to sleep on a bus. I slept on one for about an hour today. It was strange. That has never happened before in my life, especially on the mission.
So I'm working in a zone that is trying to make a stake. Does that make sense? We are trying to help the Stake split right now. But that isn't the main focus. The main focus is to invite others to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost and Endure to the End. All the rest of the things we do are just bonuses.
It's amazing how God helps us and gives us revelation when we need it. I was studying the scriptures 3 weeks ago and ran into something interesting about murder and things like that and repentance and forgiveness. So I put a sticky note on it and continued studying. Yesterday, me and my companion were talking with the people we were living with and they telling us their difficulties and we were telling them ours. It is amazing that one of their difficulties was directly related to the scripture I marked 3 weeks ago. I got to share it with them. It's amazing how God guides and leads.
Love you
Endure to the End
Singing Out
Elder Barry
So Natal (Christmas) is coming. It's right around the corner. It's comin quick. 7 days.
I'm fine now. I don't really feel sick but I'm keeping the same weight. Not going up or going down.
I would love to skype and talk with you alls. In the last letter we got from president they changed it to 45 mins. I can skype totally tranquilo (peace). Wow, some sayings in portugues just don't work in English. But I honestly don't know what time it will be at... yet... It's not a good thing that I don't know. Maybe you might just need to be ready because I don't know when my companion will talk with his family and I don't know when the Brasilians will talk with their families. So it's all up in the air about the time. You just might get an email the day of telling you. I'm so sorry, mom. Just have the e-mail on your phone open and ready to roll. (Sorry, This year is not so organized)
So, we had practice today for the Christmas Conference and it was pretty good. The music is hard and for missionaries, they are doing fantastic. They are doing wonderful. They sound sooooo good.
I'll let you know what happens next week from the Christmas Party.
We had the branch Christmas party this last Saturday and it was pretty fun. We had 3 Investigators there and a whole bunch of people. A funny thing from the party is that it was supposed to start at 7 o clock. But it really didn't start until 8:30ish. It's called Mormon Standard Time mixed with Brasilian Standard Time. Things never start on time. It's guaranteed. (Sorry for the spelling)
But since it started at almost 9 o clock and we probably had to go before we could eat, our Branch President took one of our phones, called the President of the Mission and asked him if we could stay longer. The Mission President said we could stay out as long as we liked just as long as we were with the Branch President. Woah. We got risky and got home at 10:25 and I was sleeping at 10:30. Talk about risky buisness.
Just a side note. I never thought it would be easy to sleep on a bus. I slept on one for about an hour today. It was strange. That has never happened before in my life, especially on the mission.
So I'm working in a zone that is trying to make a stake. Does that make sense? We are trying to help the Stake split right now. But that isn't the main focus. The main focus is to invite others to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost and Endure to the End. All the rest of the things we do are just bonuses.
It's amazing how God helps us and gives us revelation when we need it. I was studying the scriptures 3 weeks ago and ran into something interesting about murder and things like that and repentance and forgiveness. So I put a sticky note on it and continued studying. Yesterday, me and my companion were talking with the people we were living with and they telling us their difficulties and we were telling them ours. It is amazing that one of their difficulties was directly related to the scripture I marked 3 weeks ago. I got to share it with them. It's amazing how God guides and leads.
Love you
Endure to the End
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, December 05, 2011
Happy and Tired
Dear Family,
I'm exhausted. I feel like one of the Elders from "The District 2" The one who says "I'm so tired, I don't understand how I can be so happy when I'm tired."
So Mom, I'll get the innfomation so that we can talk on Christmas. I'll know tomorrow if we can Skype or just talk on the phone. The mission president didn't set a time. He just said "Be wise" or in other words "Don't be Stupid". If you have a small family, don't talk for 10 hours. If you have a big family, you can't talk to them all within 1 hour... so We just need to be wise. I'll plan with the other missionaries in the house about the times and when we will talk. I don't know if it will be on Saturday, Sunday or Monday... I don't know what days or time. But I'll let you know.
We had another practice today and it was good. I'm just tired. We are singing for the Missionary Christmas Meeting. There are about 12 elders and 12 sisters, 1 pianist(who has to play the hardest music ever) and 1 violinist. It's pretty fun. These missionaries are from almost all the zones in the mission. That zone that is forever away will have their own Christmas party because they can't bring them all back.
The part member family didn't get married. The husband is fishing around for excuses... I don't know why but he is just delying the time over and over again. Elder Johnson and I are going to go there and just help them... some how. I don't know how... but we will follow the spirit, He knows what to do.
Winter? It's summer right now. It's the rainy season. It's rains cows and horses and a couple of whales. (Not just cats and dogs.) The rainy season is literally the rainy season. Everyday basically rains... and if you forgot your umbrella then you are getting soaked. It's pretty hot too. It's hot when it doesn't rain. Lets just say... it's always hot. When it's hot it rains.
I got one Christmas package, I'm debating on opening it now... or finish opening it now... or wait. I don't know. I bought a little Christmas tree to put on my desk... so I might put the rest of the presents under the tree.
Well. I honestly don't know what to say more. How about Jacob 6:12. Good Scripture. It is basically a new rule in our mission put in by Elder Evans. He said "Don't be stupid" I think "Be Wise" Close enough.
A cool saying from our mission president: "A man that works like 10 men is valuable, A man who makes 10 men work is so much more valuable." I'm sorry if it sounds a little weird. I can't think of the words to trade it from Portugues to English. Wow my English is off.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Singing Off
Elder Barry
I'm exhausted. I feel like one of the Elders from "The District 2" The one who says "I'm so tired, I don't understand how I can be so happy when I'm tired."
So Mom, I'll get the innfomation so that we can talk on Christmas. I'll know tomorrow if we can Skype or just talk on the phone. The mission president didn't set a time. He just said "Be wise" or in other words "Don't be Stupid". If you have a small family, don't talk for 10 hours. If you have a big family, you can't talk to them all within 1 hour... so We just need to be wise. I'll plan with the other missionaries in the house about the times and when we will talk. I don't know if it will be on Saturday, Sunday or Monday... I don't know what days or time. But I'll let you know.
We had another practice today and it was good. I'm just tired. We are singing for the Missionary Christmas Meeting. There are about 12 elders and 12 sisters, 1 pianist(who has to play the hardest music ever) and 1 violinist. It's pretty fun. These missionaries are from almost all the zones in the mission. That zone that is forever away will have their own Christmas party because they can't bring them all back.
The part member family didn't get married. The husband is fishing around for excuses... I don't know why but he is just delying the time over and over again. Elder Johnson and I are going to go there and just help them... some how. I don't know how... but we will follow the spirit, He knows what to do.
Winter? It's summer right now. It's the rainy season. It's rains cows and horses and a couple of whales. (Not just cats and dogs.) The rainy season is literally the rainy season. Everyday basically rains... and if you forgot your umbrella then you are getting soaked. It's pretty hot too. It's hot when it doesn't rain. Lets just say... it's always hot. When it's hot it rains.
I got one Christmas package, I'm debating on opening it now... or finish opening it now... or wait. I don't know. I bought a little Christmas tree to put on my desk... so I might put the rest of the presents under the tree.
Well. I honestly don't know what to say more. How about Jacob 6:12. Good Scripture. It is basically a new rule in our mission put in by Elder Evans. He said "Don't be stupid" I think "Be Wise" Close enough.
A cool saying from our mission president: "A man that works like 10 men is valuable, A man who makes 10 men work is so much more valuable." I'm sorry if it sounds a little weird. I can't think of the words to trade it from Portugues to English. Wow my English is off.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Singing Off
Elder Barry
Monday, November 28, 2011
High Five from Brasil
Family,
Alright mom, I'm just joking about the High five letter. I just wanted to see if I could get a shorter letter than Mark. It's competition. Bring it on.
Welp. "One more (P-)day" (Les miserables)
Thanksgiving was great for us. We had a mission conference with Elder Godoy. It was amazing and I loved it. I'll share a little bit more about it later. But on that day we went to an 'all you can eat buffet' as a mission. We Americas were just pounding that food down. President finally called (cause he wasn't there) and told us to get out of there, leave. I was still eating. I had to leave my plate of food and split. But it was an amazing Thanksgiving Lunch.
This week we had another music practice and I am learning more and more about how to lead a choir and the preperation that goes into it. I am loving it. Especially when it all comes together. It was a really good practice. We are going to sing (in Portugues of course) 'Joy to the World', 'What child is this?', 'This is the Christ' and 'Oh come oh come Emmanuel'. It's going to be fun and I hope that some of these missionaries find time during the week to practice. It a big thing to ask because they need to do missionary work too. But this is for our Christmas Party on the 22nd of December. It's going to be good.
Study time is something that I love to have. It is so much fun and I learn so much. It's cool how you learn how to study and what things to look for. But that is something I will also talk about later.
Sidenote, I was in a trade with a new missionary and it is amazing how well prepared these new missionaries are coming in. He told me not to speak in English cause he knows Portugues. So we talked in Portugues all day.
Tonight Elder Johnson and I have a Family Night in the house of a part member family. We are trying to get hold of the Branch President to get him there too with his family. This part member family is also going to get the process for marriage started tomorrow or Wednesday. We are excited for that.
So When Elder Godoy came, he talked about a lot of things but one thing he talked about is something that only missionaries will understand (or maybe ex-missionaries too). He said that there are two types of missionaries, well maybe two types of teaching styles. One is the Christ-Like Attributes missionary and the other is the Chapter 10 teaching technics missionary. These are the two sides. The Christ-Like Attribute missionary just thinks about the spirit. He is always asking if you have felt the spirit. He is timid to talk with others but has very good personal studies and personal prayers. The Chapter 10 missionary is very good at talking with people. He teaches and uses everything in the right way. He does contacts easily but his personal study is not the best. he can't concentrate on his study and during his prayers. He's a go and do it missionary.
It is amazing how true this is about every single missionary. But now we think of this as a scale we should always strive for 50% Christ-like attribute missionary and 50% chapter 10 missionary. We will have the spirit and we will open our mouths. It was something that I thought was cool.
Another thing he taught was about the size of our calling as missionaries. When we arrived on the mission, we weren't really close to the size of our calling. But as we strive, we grow. By the end of the 2 years we should be the size of our calling. We should have grown completely through-out the 2 years. He then warned us to not be at 1 year on our mission and have only grown the size of a 5 month missionary and not to be at 1 and a half years and not have grow at all.
- Hide quoted text -
Who isn't progressing, is falling behind
I love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Alright mom, I'm just joking about the High five letter. I just wanted to see if I could get a shorter letter than Mark. It's competition. Bring it on.
Welp. "One more (P-)day" (Les miserables)
Thanksgiving was great for us. We had a mission conference with Elder Godoy. It was amazing and I loved it. I'll share a little bit more about it later. But on that day we went to an 'all you can eat buffet' as a mission. We Americas were just pounding that food down. President finally called (cause he wasn't there) and told us to get out of there, leave. I was still eating. I had to leave my plate of food and split. But it was an amazing Thanksgiving Lunch.
This week we had another music practice and I am learning more and more about how to lead a choir and the preperation that goes into it. I am loving it. Especially when it all comes together. It was a really good practice. We are going to sing (in Portugues of course) 'Joy to the World', 'What child is this?', 'This is the Christ' and 'Oh come oh come Emmanuel'. It's going to be fun and I hope that some of these missionaries find time during the week to practice. It a big thing to ask because they need to do missionary work too. But this is for our Christmas Party on the 22nd of December. It's going to be good.
Study time is something that I love to have. It is so much fun and I learn so much. It's cool how you learn how to study and what things to look for. But that is something I will also talk about later.
Sidenote, I was in a trade with a new missionary and it is amazing how well prepared these new missionaries are coming in. He told me not to speak in English cause he knows Portugues. So we talked in Portugues all day.
Tonight Elder Johnson and I have a Family Night in the house of a part member family. We are trying to get hold of the Branch President to get him there too with his family. This part member family is also going to get the process for marriage started tomorrow or Wednesday. We are excited for that.
So When Elder Godoy came, he talked about a lot of things but one thing he talked about is something that only missionaries will understand (or maybe ex-missionaries too). He said that there are two types of missionaries, well maybe two types of teaching styles. One is the Christ-Like Attributes missionary and the other is the Chapter 10 teaching technics missionary. These are the two sides. The Christ-Like Attribute missionary just thinks about the spirit. He is always asking if you have felt the spirit. He is timid to talk with others but has very good personal studies and personal prayers. The Chapter 10 missionary is very good at talking with people. He teaches and uses everything in the right way. He does contacts easily but his personal study is not the best. he can't concentrate on his study and during his prayers. He's a go and do it missionary.
It is amazing how true this is about every single missionary. But now we think of this as a scale we should always strive for 50% Christ-like attribute missionary and 50% chapter 10 missionary. We will have the spirit and we will open our mouths. It was something that I thought was cool.
Another thing he taught was about the size of our calling as missionaries. When we arrived on the mission, we weren't really close to the size of our calling. But as we strive, we grow. By the end of the 2 years we should be the size of our calling. We should have grown completely through-out the 2 years. He then warned us to not be at 1 year on our mission and have only grown the size of a 5 month missionary and not to be at 1 and a half years and not have grow at all.
- Hide quoted text -
Who isn't progressing, is falling behind
I love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sorry
Dear family,
Sorry... unfortantely that is the first word of this email.
My companion and I are so tired. Today we played soccer as a zone and we are barely getting through our emails. My companion is just typing with one hand because he's exhausted. To put more on top we helped move a family this week too. It was amazing. They needed it Elder Johnson and I loved doing it. But now all the physical stuff is getting to me. Moving on Saturday, soccer today... I'm about ready to fall asleep... But Endure to the End is always the motto.
I learned some unhappy news. You know how the mail was on strike here. Well since there were so many letters. A lot of places threw away about 80% of the letters. Sorry if you sent a letter fam. It probably was thrown away.
We have an investigator who is really good. He was a reference of a member. He went to church and loved it. We need to work with him a little bit more. He has little problems with A palavra de Sabedoria (The word of Wisdom) but he really wants to change his life. His name (get ready) is Mike Tyson. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that. His dad named him Mike Tyson. But he'll definately get baptized some day.
Edicarlos is doing fine. We are excited because he won't work this Sunday and he can go to church. We are really excited for him to actually go and experience church.
I was studying in the "First World Training Leadership Meeting". There is a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley where he talks about missionary work. It is an amazing talk. I loved it. It talks about all aspects of missionary work from members to the missionaries themselves.
I love you.
Every single one of you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Sorry... unfortantely that is the first word of this email.
My companion and I are so tired. Today we played soccer as a zone and we are barely getting through our emails. My companion is just typing with one hand because he's exhausted. To put more on top we helped move a family this week too. It was amazing. They needed it Elder Johnson and I loved doing it. But now all the physical stuff is getting to me. Moving on Saturday, soccer today... I'm about ready to fall asleep... But Endure to the End is always the motto.
I learned some unhappy news. You know how the mail was on strike here. Well since there were so many letters. A lot of places threw away about 80% of the letters. Sorry if you sent a letter fam. It probably was thrown away.
We have an investigator who is really good. He was a reference of a member. He went to church and loved it. We need to work with him a little bit more. He has little problems with A palavra de Sabedoria (The word of Wisdom) but he really wants to change his life. His name (get ready) is Mike Tyson. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that. His dad named him Mike Tyson. But he'll definately get baptized some day.
Edicarlos is doing fine. We are excited because he won't work this Sunday and he can go to church. We are really excited for him to actually go and experience church.
I was studying in the "First World Training Leadership Meeting". There is a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley where he talks about missionary work. It is an amazing talk. I loved it. It talks about all aspects of missionary work from members to the missionaries themselves.
I love you.
Every single one of you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 31, 2011
Pedregal - one big hill
REPLY!!!! NOW. GO!!!!
Hello my dear family.
Thanks for all the Birthday wishes and all the love that I have been getting. It's great. Thanks for the package... I literally got it... today, two hours ago but I haven't opened it yet. With the mail strike and everything I was thinking that I was going to sing like Harry Potter. "Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, no presents, no body, happy birthday to me." But now I won't have to. The mail has opened up and I got flooded with letters today. One even all the way from Kenya (Elder Hodges). That was an awesome suprise. He is already done with his first transfer. That's just crazy.
Something that totally turn my world over was that our mission president said we could get on Facebook ONCE and update it with our testimony. I thought that was pretty smart.
Well, I'm actually doing pretty great. Wonderful actually. My companion and I are doing our best to milk our area, leave with members everyday and talk with more people. We are having some pretty good expereinces but wow... we are working so hard that when Sunday comes... we are so tired... we literally can't get out of bed. But we do. We go to church and word a little bit more. It's pretty fun.
Life is just flying by. Honestly... it's crazy how fast it flies by. When I got the email asking when my release date would be my world basically turned upsidedown shook itself for a while, did a couple of backflips as my body exploded. The computer quite literally went straight through my mind. But normality has been established and with a quiet fright, I move on. It's literally coming too fast.
Anyways. Just so you know I'm wonderful.
On the 10th of Nov we are going to have some visits from general authorities, Elder Mazzarguard and Elder Evans. It's going to be so cool. The mission has been quite low in baptisms in the last while. Honestly, it's like we were running, then got tired, now we are walking taking a joyride looking at all the cool things. But me and my companion have been seeing some amazing things happen around us and with us. Missionaries finding miracles and receiving blessing, baptisms happening. My district leader is having weekly baptisms and I want to be like him. He is actually one of my old companions, Elder Romero, if you remember him. He is an amazing missionary and is baptizing almost everyweek.
Anyways. I'm sending some pics. I hope you like them cause I do.
So I have been working on memorizing D&C 4 this week and it has been giving me added strength. It's so cool to see how scriptures help. Honestly. Memorize one. See the added strength you with receiving.
Endure to the End
I love you
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 24, 2011
Forgiveness
Hello my dear family,
So I'm not as tired today, So this letter will probably be a lot better. I hope.
The only problem is that I have no clue where to start from. I don't know.
Well, today we had interviews with our president and that was pretty fun. Also the Sister of the mission went and looked at our house and let me tell you, it was not very good. Our house is pretty much a mess. From other missionaries to us. We just haven't cleaned it up yet. We started and halfway through our process, Sister Gaertner went to our house. So that might be an interesting thing for you to hear. I'm still working on those clean organized skills unfortunately.
So yeah. Mission.
So in the area I'm working in right now I have only worked about 3 full days. Because of sickness, trainings, district meeting and trades I haven't had a lot of time in my area. After 2 weeks, I don't know any of the members... yet. But I will get to know them and me and my companion have high hopes that we will get done what needs to be done.
So lately I have read "the Miracle of forgiveness" Wow!!! That is a great book. It is so spiritually strong and is amazing. I loved it so much. The way it is written is so good and I loved learning about Forgiveness that we have for the wrong things we do. I am working to be better everyday so that I can help God even more everyday.
Well I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So I'm not as tired today, So this letter will probably be a lot better. I hope.
The only problem is that I have no clue where to start from. I don't know.
Well, today we had interviews with our president and that was pretty fun. Also the Sister of the mission went and looked at our house and let me tell you, it was not very good. Our house is pretty much a mess. From other missionaries to us. We just haven't cleaned it up yet. We started and halfway through our process, Sister Gaertner went to our house. So that might be an interesting thing for you to hear. I'm still working on those clean organized skills unfortunately.
So yeah. Mission.
So in the area I'm working in right now I have only worked about 3 full days. Because of sickness, trainings, district meeting and trades I haven't had a lot of time in my area. After 2 weeks, I don't know any of the members... yet. But I will get to know them and me and my companion have high hopes that we will get done what needs to be done.
So lately I have read "the Miracle of forgiveness" Wow!!! That is a great book. It is so spiritually strong and is amazing. I loved it so much. The way it is written is so good and I loved learning about Forgiveness that we have for the wrong things we do. I am working to be better everyday so that I can help God even more everyday.
Well I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 10, 2011
Transfer - Pedregal
Caro Família
It is 15:30 hours and I'm doing good... and you?
So, news. I have been transfered again. I left Valparaíso (which probably is my favorite area up to now in all my mission, I was sad but I know that the Lord needs me somewhere else) and I am now in Pedregal. Pedregal is just a hill... from what I've seen in the last 2 hours... I think I'm going to have pretty toned legs after this area. Wow... Hills, hills and more hills. This area is famous in breaking missionaries too. There was a missionary who broke his foot here and also an other who got knee problems from this place. I'll take pictures of the crazy hills for you... They literally are crazy... you will get tired just from looking at them.
I don't know anything about the area, nothing about my companion except that his name is Elder Johnson and he is from Ogden, Utah. Elder Johnson has about 1 year and 6 months on the mission and from what I've seen this transfer is going to be awesome.
Pedregal is a branch but it is really close to becoming a ward. Really, really close. This place (from what I've heard) is just a miracle. It's growing so fast and the branch is working so hard. We will see what happens... I'm excited to be here.
I want to do an activity with you.
Grab a paper
Write down something that is really noble, something that is noble to do or to say. Anything and everything.
John 15:13 is a good and noble thing.
Matthew 22:36-40 is also something noble and is actually a commandment.
There are many things that are noble in our lives. Many many things. Just remember to do them. Do the right things. Be noble
Endure to the End
Te amo
Signing Out
Elder Barry
It is 15:30 hours and I'm doing good... and you?
So, news. I have been transfered again. I left Valparaíso (which probably is my favorite area up to now in all my mission, I was sad but I know that the Lord needs me somewhere else) and I am now in Pedregal. Pedregal is just a hill... from what I've seen in the last 2 hours... I think I'm going to have pretty toned legs after this area. Wow... Hills, hills and more hills. This area is famous in breaking missionaries too. There was a missionary who broke his foot here and also an other who got knee problems from this place. I'll take pictures of the crazy hills for you... They literally are crazy... you will get tired just from looking at them.
I don't know anything about the area, nothing about my companion except that his name is Elder Johnson and he is from Ogden, Utah. Elder Johnson has about 1 year and 6 months on the mission and from what I've seen this transfer is going to be awesome.
Pedregal is a branch but it is really close to becoming a ward. Really, really close. This place (from what I've heard) is just a miracle. It's growing so fast and the branch is working so hard. We will see what happens... I'm excited to be here.
I want to do an activity with you.
Grab a paper
Write down something that is really noble, something that is noble to do or to say. Anything and everything.
John 15:13 is a good and noble thing.
Matthew 22:36-40 is also something noble and is actually a commandment.
There are many things that are noble in our lives. Many many things. Just remember to do them. Do the right things. Be noble
Endure to the End
Te amo
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 03, 2011
Become 'fat'
Dear Family,
Yeah, that is kind of bad about the mail strike. I don't know what will happen. If the package you sent gets here and just sits at the post office then someone might think... "Hey, I wonder what is inside this one. It came from the United States. I wonder what will happen if I open it." I'm just kindding... maybe. I don't know. I don't know how long it's going to be out of service. The banks are on strike too. They don't accept the public inside. You can go to the ATM. But besides that... it's nothing. The good thing is I only need the ATM..
I just am feeling old. Really old. I don't know why. I just do.
Wow, I saw the photos on the blog of Leah's break and wow, I don't think I've ever done it that way... ouch. I think it might have hurt and it makes me cringe a little. Leah, I know your pain. I got my arm "Manipulated" which means they are going to rebreak it. So I might of felt what you are feeling.
I wish I would of gotten 8$ per tooth... wow.
I hope all the neices and nephews are doing great. I think it's weird that there are a couple... not a couple... there are a lot I don't know yet. They are growing up. People are changing. It's so weird. How is this all happening. It's going by too fast. 21 Neices and Nephews is a lot. wow...
I would love to hear from you Fam. Any news, even insignificante to you is wonderful for me. I love you, so the things you love are the things I love too. That's what love is, isn't it?
When they announced the second temple in Provo, I was in the "English room" with a whole bunch of missionaries. I'm the only one from Provo, Utah. I literally screamed with shouts of joy. I can't wait til it's done.
Man, Costco... that is something I haven't heard about for about a year. I forgot about it.
Anyways. CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I LOVED IT SO MUCH
IT'S LIKE THE SUPERBOWL FOR MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!
I had 3 talks that I loved the most. 2 for now and 1 for the future that I liked.
Elder Holland's talk was amazing. It was powerful, bold, vigorus and had so much love. It makes a person want to change. I want to change. I want to be on the right team. I want to open my mouth. I need to continue to become better and better. That's why I loved this talk.
Also Matthew O. Richardson was amazing. I loved how he talked about teaching. It was something that I can apply here on the mission and also think about after the mission. But for now just for the mission.
Then the talk about raising your daughter. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to worry about it right now but it's amazing how the Lord will calm our fears or give us information to keep so we can use them in later years. God is thinking about the past, the present and the future all at the same time. He knows that there are many men who needed that talk.
I was looking at my notes this morning from conference and I came to the conclusion that the theme in General Conference was 1 Timothy 4:12. We must look to the youth. Help them grow by being an example to them, an example in everything. That scripture was used so many times during conference and I think I could sum everything up in it.
"Be thou an Example of the Believers"
I like how it doesn't say "Be thou an Example" or "Be thou an Example of Men" or "Be thou an Example of the World". It tells us to be an Example of the BELIEVERS". It tells us to be an example to our friends in church, at school and with everyone who believes.
How can we be "Examples of the Believers"?
The scripture answers it for us. In word, thought, deed, charity, purity and others too.
Well how do we gain these things?
Lets go the the scriptures again.
2 Nephi 31:20. Feast upon the Words of Christ for they will show you all things that ye must do.
2 Nephi 25:26 We preach of Christ, teach of Christ, talk of Christ so that our posterity will know by which source they should look to receive redemption, forgiveness and love.
Ether 12:27 We are humble before Christ so that He can make us strong.
D&C 112:10 Be thou humble
And there are so many more. Feast on them. Learn of them. Study not just read... FEAST!!!
Who goes to a giant banquet and only eats 1 pea? Now we go to eat everything we can until we can't. Then we stop, wait some more and then do it all over again. It's just like Thanksgiving. How many times a day do we stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving? Many times.
The scriptures are the same thing. We will feast then the next day feast again. Then the next day feast again. With food that is probably an unhealthy habit but with the "Words of Christ" we will grow and learn. We will become better. We will have more knowlegde.
So let us study everyday.
Let us become "fat" on the "Words of Christ"
Endure to the End
Be Thou and Example of the Believers
With Much love
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Yeah, that is kind of bad about the mail strike. I don't know what will happen. If the package you sent gets here and just sits at the post office then someone might think... "Hey, I wonder what is inside this one. It came from the United States. I wonder what will happen if I open it." I'm just kindding... maybe. I don't know. I don't know how long it's going to be out of service. The banks are on strike too. They don't accept the public inside. You can go to the ATM. But besides that... it's nothing. The good thing is I only need the ATM..
I just am feeling old. Really old. I don't know why. I just do.
Wow, I saw the photos on the blog of Leah's break and wow, I don't think I've ever done it that way... ouch. I think it might have hurt and it makes me cringe a little. Leah, I know your pain. I got my arm "Manipulated" which means they are going to rebreak it. So I might of felt what you are feeling.
I wish I would of gotten 8$ per tooth... wow.
I hope all the neices and nephews are doing great. I think it's weird that there are a couple... not a couple... there are a lot I don't know yet. They are growing up. People are changing. It's so weird. How is this all happening. It's going by too fast. 21 Neices and Nephews is a lot. wow...
I would love to hear from you Fam. Any news, even insignificante to you is wonderful for me. I love you, so the things you love are the things I love too. That's what love is, isn't it?
When they announced the second temple in Provo, I was in the "English room" with a whole bunch of missionaries. I'm the only one from Provo, Utah. I literally screamed with shouts of joy. I can't wait til it's done.
Man, Costco... that is something I haven't heard about for about a year. I forgot about it.
Anyways. CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I LOVED IT SO MUCH
IT'S LIKE THE SUPERBOWL FOR MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!
I had 3 talks that I loved the most. 2 for now and 1 for the future that I liked.
Elder Holland's talk was amazing. It was powerful, bold, vigorus and had so much love. It makes a person want to change. I want to change. I want to be on the right team. I want to open my mouth. I need to continue to become better and better. That's why I loved this talk.
Also Matthew O. Richardson was amazing. I loved how he talked about teaching. It was something that I can apply here on the mission and also think about after the mission. But for now just for the mission.
Then the talk about raising your daughter. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to worry about it right now but it's amazing how the Lord will calm our fears or give us information to keep so we can use them in later years. God is thinking about the past, the present and the future all at the same time. He knows that there are many men who needed that talk.
I was looking at my notes this morning from conference and I came to the conclusion that the theme in General Conference was 1 Timothy 4:12. We must look to the youth. Help them grow by being an example to them, an example in everything. That scripture was used so many times during conference and I think I could sum everything up in it.
"Be thou an Example of the Believers"
I like how it doesn't say "Be thou an Example" or "Be thou an Example of Men" or "Be thou an Example of the World". It tells us to be an Example of the BELIEVERS". It tells us to be an example to our friends in church, at school and with everyone who believes.
How can we be "Examples of the Believers"?
The scripture answers it for us. In word, thought, deed, charity, purity and others too.
Well how do we gain these things?
Lets go the the scriptures again.
2 Nephi 31:20. Feast upon the Words of Christ for they will show you all things that ye must do.
2 Nephi 25:26 We preach of Christ, teach of Christ, talk of Christ so that our posterity will know by which source they should look to receive redemption, forgiveness and love.
Ether 12:27 We are humble before Christ so that He can make us strong.
D&C 112:10 Be thou humble
And there are so many more. Feast on them. Learn of them. Study not just read... FEAST!!!
Who goes to a giant banquet and only eats 1 pea? Now we go to eat everything we can until we can't. Then we stop, wait some more and then do it all over again. It's just like Thanksgiving. How many times a day do we stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving? Many times.
The scriptures are the same thing. We will feast then the next day feast again. Then the next day feast again. With food that is probably an unhealthy habit but with the "Words of Christ" we will grow and learn. We will become better. We will have more knowlegde.
So let us study everyday.
Let us become "fat" on the "Words of Christ"
Endure to the End
Be Thou and Example of the Believers
With Much love
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, September 26, 2011
Baptisms and Training
Family
Today is the 26th of september in the year 2011. I am in a Lan House with weird video game sounds going on in the background. My companion is next to me. I'm wearing a silver/white tie and have a mechanical pencil and an orange pen. I'm wearing a watch and of course all my clothes. Black pants. White shirt. Black/Brown shoes(because of the dirt).
Well, first the bad news. The mail service here in Brasil is on strike... So I won't be sending or receiving letters for a little while. Not forever... but still send them. When they open up then I'll get a whole bunch of letters. Remember, I only can send and receive e-mails from my FAMILY, not everyone else. Just my FAMILY. :D (Mission Rule)
Well, good news. It rained here. After about 4 to 6 months without rain. That was welcomed. We are entering the rainy season and it's going to be wet. I accidentally left my umbrella in my last area so I need to buy a new one somewhere. One that won't break fast too.
Leah broke her Wrist? Congrats!!!! It's a first in a life time. I know exactly how that feels. It has happened to me, too. I think out of the 4 broken wrists (I think it's four... there have been a lot) 2 of them (our 1 of them) was on a scooter, too. But I have never had to get any pins, screws or rods. We'll leave those to Mark and I think Jess. Just hope they don't have to do "Manipulation" on you. One good thing about broken wrists was that in middle school (like leah), I actually got a Laptop from the school to take notes and to write papers and everything. But that was because it was my right hand. The writing hand.
I feel fat. Not bloated... But I have extra skin in places that I didn't even know that I had skin at. I'm getting pretty good at sticking out my belly though. I got the pants you sent... and the shirts too.
Yeah. It's only on Sunday... Our Zone has taken a little fall... But It's because some of the missionaries need to be remained on what to do. But I think it's going along better with D&C 58 Verses (I think) 26-29. The ones that say that men need to be engaged in a good cause with their own and free choice.
I know how it is to go through clothes... I've stopped liking them and just wear them. I try to look nice. The only things that I really worry about are the ties. Because they can't really be replaced as easy. Don't get me wrong. I'm using everything nicely. But ties are just a little bit easier to clean.
Yeah. I'm so grateful that I got here really fast and easily.
I really wish I had just the straight up trainings. I would have loved it. Spiritual training is really good. I know a missionary who is really close to leaving that is really good technically but you don't feel the spirit. Then I know a lot of missionaries who have little technically but everything spiritually. Usually the Spirit, well always... the spirit is better.
I have not heard much about a new training really. We have all the lessons with the Doctrine of Christ – the Missionary purpose, The role of the Holy Ghost in conversion, revelation through the Book of Mormon, through church attendance and through prayer. Teaching people, not lessons and inviting people to make commitments. but nothing really big on training them. We try... but we need a real program. The DVD really helps out with that part though.
Oh that's right. We now are using DVD players in our mission. Every house has 1 so we are using it a lot.
We just got out of the cold season... Because there was no rain for 5ish months... But now it's getting colder and hotter everyday. It's strange I know... But hotter because it's summer (almost) here and colder because of the rain.
We had a baptism... it was really happy and amazing. The person getting baptized brought about 10 friends to watch the baptism. It was a miracle. No on came to church though which was sad but the lady got confirmed which was good. So like always... We are sad but stay happy. Sad the people don't want to learn about this amazing plan and church God has for us and happy because D&C 18:15-16. So we continue. We have a lady here (Fatima) that said (about the last baptism that she couldn't go to) "e logo meu chegará" which means... soon, my baptism is coming. Fatima is the mother of 3 childeren who have about 25 years of age. She has about 50 years of age and really is loving the church. She's really progressing. We are going to take her to General Conference then she'll get baptized probably on the 8th (which is also the last week of transfers.) She is amazing. She's happy and loves the church. Pray for her that nothing will stop her from being baptized.
That's us here in Valparaíso. Everything is wonderful and great.
Stay Happy
Do What is Right
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Today is the 26th of september in the year 2011. I am in a Lan House with weird video game sounds going on in the background. My companion is next to me. I'm wearing a silver/white tie and have a mechanical pencil and an orange pen. I'm wearing a watch and of course all my clothes. Black pants. White shirt. Black/Brown shoes(because of the dirt).
Well, first the bad news. The mail service here in Brasil is on strike... So I won't be sending or receiving letters for a little while. Not forever... but still send them. When they open up then I'll get a whole bunch of letters. Remember, I only can send and receive e-mails from my FAMILY, not everyone else. Just my FAMILY. :D (Mission Rule)
Well, good news. It rained here. After about 4 to 6 months without rain. That was welcomed. We are entering the rainy season and it's going to be wet. I accidentally left my umbrella in my last area so I need to buy a new one somewhere. One that won't break fast too.
Leah broke her Wrist? Congrats!!!! It's a first in a life time. I know exactly how that feels. It has happened to me, too. I think out of the 4 broken wrists (I think it's four... there have been a lot) 2 of them (our 1 of them) was on a scooter, too. But I have never had to get any pins, screws or rods. We'll leave those to Mark and I think Jess. Just hope they don't have to do "Manipulation" on you. One good thing about broken wrists was that in middle school (like leah), I actually got a Laptop from the school to take notes and to write papers and everything. But that was because it was my right hand. The writing hand.
I feel fat. Not bloated... But I have extra skin in places that I didn't even know that I had skin at. I'm getting pretty good at sticking out my belly though. I got the pants you sent... and the shirts too.
Yeah. It's only on Sunday... Our Zone has taken a little fall... But It's because some of the missionaries need to be remained on what to do. But I think it's going along better with D&C 58 Verses (I think) 26-29. The ones that say that men need to be engaged in a good cause with their own and free choice.
I know how it is to go through clothes... I've stopped liking them and just wear them. I try to look nice. The only things that I really worry about are the ties. Because they can't really be replaced as easy. Don't get me wrong. I'm using everything nicely. But ties are just a little bit easier to clean.
Yeah. I'm so grateful that I got here really fast and easily.
I really wish I had just the straight up trainings. I would have loved it. Spiritual training is really good. I know a missionary who is really close to leaving that is really good technically but you don't feel the spirit. Then I know a lot of missionaries who have little technically but everything spiritually. Usually the Spirit, well always... the spirit is better.
I have not heard much about a new training really. We have all the lessons with the Doctrine of Christ – the Missionary purpose, The role of the Holy Ghost in conversion, revelation through the Book of Mormon, through church attendance and through prayer. Teaching people, not lessons and inviting people to make commitments. but nothing really big on training them. We try... but we need a real program. The DVD really helps out with that part though.
Oh that's right. We now are using DVD players in our mission. Every house has 1 so we are using it a lot.
We just got out of the cold season... Because there was no rain for 5ish months... But now it's getting colder and hotter everyday. It's strange I know... But hotter because it's summer (almost) here and colder because of the rain.
We had a baptism... it was really happy and amazing. The person getting baptized brought about 10 friends to watch the baptism. It was a miracle. No on came to church though which was sad but the lady got confirmed which was good. So like always... We are sad but stay happy. Sad the people don't want to learn about this amazing plan and church God has for us and happy because D&C 18:15-16. So we continue. We have a lady here (Fatima) that said (about the last baptism that she couldn't go to) "e logo meu chegará" which means... soon, my baptism is coming. Fatima is the mother of 3 childeren who have about 25 years of age. She has about 50 years of age and really is loving the church. She's really progressing. We are going to take her to General Conference then she'll get baptized probably on the 8th (which is also the last week of transfers.) She is amazing. She's happy and loves the church. Pray for her that nothing will stop her from being baptized.
That's us here in Valparaíso. Everything is wonderful and great.
Stay Happy
Do What is Right
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Miracles in Valparaiso
Hello Família
So I'm here in Valparaíso and from what I've been hearing from Dad and from Elder Mace, Valparaíso is a place of miracles in the USA and in Chile too. Whelp, here in Brazil it's a miracle too. Let me tell you a quick background about Valparaíso here in Brazil. It's was named after Valparaíso in Chile. There was a monk (I'm pretty sure it's this way) that came here from Valparaíso, Chile and settled... Valparaíso Brazil. So anyway from that cool stuff it definitely is a miracle.
But just to make all of you sit on the edge of your seats... I'm doing a detour.
On the mission I have really learned the strategy of problem solving. I wrote down all the problems of our area this morning and then found a solution that could probably cover all our problems. Our solution is Contacts. We really need to do a lot more. Open our mouths and just talk with people. I'm happier when I do it. So it must be a good thing because nothing good will go against Christ (Moroni 10:6)
I'm also learning how not to be stressed out. But that will also be spoken about... later.
Detouring still.
I'm learning more and more how to work with the members and get them involved more and more with missionary work. It's a wonderful thing that happens. I love it. The members here in Valparaíso are just amazing. They love to help. The only thing we need to do is invite them to help and keep inviting them and they'll do amazing things. They literally do everything that we can't, which is another thing that will be spoken about later.
Elder Evans is wonderful. Our relationship is amazing. We are working really well together and have so many inside jokes and funny stories of things that have happened to us. The best part is that Elder Evans lives in California... so when he gets back... it looks like a road trip!!!
Sad new. Tania, that really good investigator, still wants to get baptized but she is placing a lot of things before God. This week she said she couldn't go to church because of the equivalent of the USA "Drivers ED". So that's going to have to wait for a while longer unfortunately. But you know we can't force them, just love them.
Anyway, after the road tripping detours... We have arrived at the point where you can let go of your seats.
We have seen a lot of miracles this week, I mean a lot. Let’s just say Baptism, Spirit, Members and Dates.
There is a girl named Mônica who is going to get married to an inactive member from another ward. She actually wanted to get to know the church a while back and she asked her inactive boyfriend to take her. So he did. She lives in our area. She came to church here one week, one week somewhere else and went back a forth going to church every week. Well, last Sunday she told some members that she wanted to get baptized so the member found us and we talked with her. We went to her house (which is in the farthest neighborhood in our area.. of course.) Taught her everything in 2 visits and yesterday she was baptized and loved it. That was a miracle. The spirit was so strong and she cried. I included a picture of it.
Another miracle. There is a wife of a member that was part of another church. After 3 years she has decided to get baptized and we marked a date for the 24th of September. Another miracle and amazing thing is we had a member in the lesson with us. When they (the non-member wife and the member husband) didn't really accept the baptism date the member jumped in and basically marked the date for us. We are really glad that member was there because this lady didn’t understand our Portuguese. (I don't know why but she basically didn't understand a word, maybe she will get used to it. Or maybe I need to work on my Portuguese a lot more... I think the second choice is better.) So now she's going to get baptized in two weeks.
Another miracle happened this week. We marked a date with a lady for this weekend. She's excited about the church and really is amazing. It's Fatima that I already told you about. She has a date now and will most likely get baptized. We are way excited. She is really strong and is going to all the activities that the women are doing here.
Well that's it for my amazing week.
Pictures are of the baptism.
A downed power line we found as we were walking through the city.
The district I'm in. (The really funny missionary that's really close to the camera is my companion.)
I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
So I'm here in Valparaíso and from what I've been hearing from Dad and from Elder Mace, Valparaíso is a place of miracles in the USA and in Chile too. Whelp, here in Brazil it's a miracle too. Let me tell you a quick background about Valparaíso here in Brazil. It's was named after Valparaíso in Chile. There was a monk (I'm pretty sure it's this way) that came here from Valparaíso, Chile and settled... Valparaíso Brazil. So anyway from that cool stuff it definitely is a miracle.
But just to make all of you sit on the edge of your seats... I'm doing a detour.
On the mission I have really learned the strategy of problem solving. I wrote down all the problems of our area this morning and then found a solution that could probably cover all our problems. Our solution is Contacts. We really need to do a lot more. Open our mouths and just talk with people. I'm happier when I do it. So it must be a good thing because nothing good will go against Christ (Moroni 10:6)
I'm also learning how not to be stressed out. But that will also be spoken about... later.
Detouring still.
I'm learning more and more how to work with the members and get them involved more and more with missionary work. It's a wonderful thing that happens. I love it. The members here in Valparaíso are just amazing. They love to help. The only thing we need to do is invite them to help and keep inviting them and they'll do amazing things. They literally do everything that we can't, which is another thing that will be spoken about later.
Elder Evans is wonderful. Our relationship is amazing. We are working really well together and have so many inside jokes and funny stories of things that have happened to us. The best part is that Elder Evans lives in California... so when he gets back... it looks like a road trip!!!
Sad new. Tania, that really good investigator, still wants to get baptized but she is placing a lot of things before God. This week she said she couldn't go to church because of the equivalent of the USA "Drivers ED". So that's going to have to wait for a while longer unfortunately. But you know we can't force them, just love them.
Anyway, after the road tripping detours... We have arrived at the point where you can let go of your seats.
We have seen a lot of miracles this week, I mean a lot. Let’s just say Baptism, Spirit, Members and Dates.
There is a girl named Mônica who is going to get married to an inactive member from another ward. She actually wanted to get to know the church a while back and she asked her inactive boyfriend to take her. So he did. She lives in our area. She came to church here one week, one week somewhere else and went back a forth going to church every week. Well, last Sunday she told some members that she wanted to get baptized so the member found us and we talked with her. We went to her house (which is in the farthest neighborhood in our area.. of course.) Taught her everything in 2 visits and yesterday she was baptized and loved it. That was a miracle. The spirit was so strong and she cried. I included a picture of it.
Another miracle. There is a wife of a member that was part of another church. After 3 years she has decided to get baptized and we marked a date for the 24th of September. Another miracle and amazing thing is we had a member in the lesson with us. When they (the non-member wife and the member husband) didn't really accept the baptism date the member jumped in and basically marked the date for us. We are really glad that member was there because this lady didn’t understand our Portuguese. (I don't know why but she basically didn't understand a word, maybe she will get used to it. Or maybe I need to work on my Portuguese a lot more... I think the second choice is better.) So now she's going to get baptized in two weeks.
Another miracle happened this week. We marked a date with a lady for this weekend. She's excited about the church and really is amazing. It's Fatima that I already told you about. She has a date now and will most likely get baptized. We are way excited. She is really strong and is going to all the activities that the women are doing here.
Well that's it for my amazing week.
Pictures are of the baptism.
A downed power line we found as we were walking through the city.
The district I'm in. (The really funny missionary that's really close to the camera is my companion.)
I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Monday, September 05, 2011
Dear Family,
Well, I'm here. I'm alive. I'm pretty happy. Excited. Great. I'm pretty sure that these last few day have been wonderful days. I love to think of it that way. I've been learning that a bad attitude won't help anyone and that we need to always be happy.
Wow, the world is going by so fast. Things are moving so fast. Mom, I agree, when will this slow down or in other words when will this speed up, too. I feel that everything is going by so fast but then everything is going so slow. There was a poem that our last Mission presidents wife sent that left these same feelings. Things are moving so fast when you want them to go slow. It's a little bit confusing but Mom, I understand the feeling.
Ashlyn Ann Barry!!!! WOO HOO!!! Para Bens!!! Para bens pra você minha querida. O batismo é um da coisas mais importante. Continua lendo O Livro de Mormon e confia em seus pais aqui na terra e lá no céu. I love you so much. Gain a strong testimony about the Book of Mormon and never leave it. Build it up so that no one can ever try to take it down. Eu Te AMO!!
Wow, 21 Sobrinhos that's crazy awesome. I tell members and pesquisadores (Investigators) about this and they just flip out. It's not very common here in Brasil to have a giant family. Well at least in the area that I'm working in. When I tell people about my family and show them pictures, they think we are crazy, amazing, heros e down right strange. Mom, I have heard that you are such a hero from so many women here in Brasil. Same with all my sisters. All 8 of you women are down right heros. (and down right strange too, but hey, who isn't in our family.)
Eu Amo Vocês
One thing I'm happy about the mission is that I can learn to be like Elder Haw. Mom, I really need to do better. A lot better, I need to stop using the personal account for stuff. I need to organize everything and plan everything out so that I can live with a lot less than what I'm using. I'm not the best, but I'm trying.
Elder Allred sounds like an amazing missionary. I can improve so much, I can do things a whole lot better.
So here in our area right now, we are planning a treinamento or a training in English for the ward about how to talk to people . We are going to plan an activity so that they can invite friends and everyone to come to church. It's something that I'm excited to get going. We also are planning that church tour, This week we are going to really focus on that and plan everything with the LMA (WML or Ward Mission Leader). Also our LMA is amazing. He's so excited about the work and has this amazing idea to put on an expo in the Shopping Mall here with giant pictures and missionaries and put down all the chapels in this region. That's more of a problem here, people want to go to church but don't know where it is or we never find them or they just have never seen it. There really are a lot of people who really know nothing about the church here, so we are going to start the planning of this giant expo.
So yeah. Our week was pretty good. I felt like there was more improvment in our work. The people we met, taught and invited and everything. I really am pretty happy about our work and I know that I'm here so that I can grow and learn from my companion and from the investigatos and from the members too. I love this area.
This last week we met some new people and we actually marked 4 dates this week which was a giant miracle. A really, really big miracle here in our area. Some of course have fallen since but the ones that we are still working with are amazing, Golden and just perfect. I can't believe it. I have never seen so many people who want to learn more and progress to being baptized. I honestly never thought it would happen, but as Elder Holland once said about the blessings from the Lord "Some may come now, Some may come later and some won't come until Heaven" I'm sure that there are things waiting for me to do and people that are waiting for me to talk to them.
We have three maybe four people who we are looking as possibles to get baptized this month.
Tião (and his mom Raimunda)
Fatima
Tania
Tião is amazing and a little crazy, but his crazyness is just from his love about the gospel. When we were teaching him, he said that this church is probably the most correct church or the Correct church. He's really excited to get to know the church. His mom, we have only met once but we have great hopes for her because she said (Translating from portugues to English) "This church has the name of Jesus Christ so it must be his church and the only true church" So we are going to work that one out and help them go to church this sunday. I'm excited.
Fatima we actually met about 2 weeks ago but she is loving the church and is going to all the activities of the women. She just loves it. I heard that she actually taught the Plan of Salvation about the Three Kingdoms and who goes to all the Kingdoms. Fatima actually doesn't want us to walk past her house to get her to go to church because she said that if she gets used to it and only goes for us, she wont stay strong. She wants to go because she wants to go.
Tania is a cousin of one of the members in a different area but she is golden too. She loved church, already has a testimony about the church and knows that this is the only one and true church. She just has some questions about the Book of Mormon so we are going to help her with that. Tania also wants to stay firm. She doesn't want to get baptized and fall away. That's her biggest fear (Because that basically happened to someone she knows.) She want to be firm forever.
We have other amazing people that we have met. Brasil is just amazing actually and I'm so happy that I'm here.
Our Recent convert Renan wants to serve a mission but unfortunally can't because he will turn 26 in 2 weeks. But he is studying a lot. He's read the Bible and is reading the Book of Mormon. We got in contact with the bishop and he is going to give all the "Teachings of the prophets" books to Renan. Renan is just amazing.
I understand with everything there is an opposite. It even says that in 2 Nephi 2. I'm pretty sure that everything that happens in our missions is suppost to make us stronger and help us grow. So when I find the harder things, I know I'm doing the right things. Pray so that I will have the hardest mission ever. I want to grow. I don't want to stay the same. I have learned that the best things in life are the hardest. Bring It.
I love you
Endure to the End (which doesn't mean just sitting until the end because people say endure and think "Oh I will endure it and not like it, it's more like Work to the End, Work until the end... then work a little bit more and love it. You'll be a whole lot more happy.)
Signing Out (with Love)
Elder Barry
Well, I'm here. I'm alive. I'm pretty happy. Excited. Great. I'm pretty sure that these last few day have been wonderful days. I love to think of it that way. I've been learning that a bad attitude won't help anyone and that we need to always be happy.
Wow, the world is going by so fast. Things are moving so fast. Mom, I agree, when will this slow down or in other words when will this speed up, too. I feel that everything is going by so fast but then everything is going so slow. There was a poem that our last Mission presidents wife sent that left these same feelings. Things are moving so fast when you want them to go slow. It's a little bit confusing but Mom, I understand the feeling.
Ashlyn Ann Barry!!!! WOO HOO!!! Para Bens!!! Para bens pra você minha querida. O batismo é um da coisas mais importante. Continua lendo O Livro de Mormon e confia em seus pais aqui na terra e lá no céu. I love you so much. Gain a strong testimony about the Book of Mormon and never leave it. Build it up so that no one can ever try to take it down. Eu Te AMO!!
Wow, 21 Sobrinhos that's crazy awesome. I tell members and pesquisadores (Investigators) about this and they just flip out. It's not very common here in Brasil to have a giant family. Well at least in the area that I'm working in. When I tell people about my family and show them pictures, they think we are crazy, amazing, heros e down right strange. Mom, I have heard that you are such a hero from so many women here in Brasil. Same with all my sisters. All 8 of you women are down right heros. (and down right strange too, but hey, who isn't in our family.)
Eu Amo Vocês
One thing I'm happy about the mission is that I can learn to be like Elder Haw. Mom, I really need to do better. A lot better, I need to stop using the personal account for stuff. I need to organize everything and plan everything out so that I can live with a lot less than what I'm using. I'm not the best, but I'm trying.
Elder Allred sounds like an amazing missionary. I can improve so much, I can do things a whole lot better.
So here in our area right now, we are planning a treinamento or a training in English for the ward about how to talk to people . We are going to plan an activity so that they can invite friends and everyone to come to church. It's something that I'm excited to get going. We also are planning that church tour, This week we are going to really focus on that and plan everything with the LMA (WML or Ward Mission Leader). Also our LMA is amazing. He's so excited about the work and has this amazing idea to put on an expo in the Shopping Mall here with giant pictures and missionaries and put down all the chapels in this region. That's more of a problem here, people want to go to church but don't know where it is or we never find them or they just have never seen it. There really are a lot of people who really know nothing about the church here, so we are going to start the planning of this giant expo.
So yeah. Our week was pretty good. I felt like there was more improvment in our work. The people we met, taught and invited and everything. I really am pretty happy about our work and I know that I'm here so that I can grow and learn from my companion and from the investigatos and from the members too. I love this area.
This last week we met some new people and we actually marked 4 dates this week which was a giant miracle. A really, really big miracle here in our area. Some of course have fallen since but the ones that we are still working with are amazing, Golden and just perfect. I can't believe it. I have never seen so many people who want to learn more and progress to being baptized. I honestly never thought it would happen, but as Elder Holland once said about the blessings from the Lord "Some may come now, Some may come later and some won't come until Heaven" I'm sure that there are things waiting for me to do and people that are waiting for me to talk to them.
We have three maybe four people who we are looking as possibles to get baptized this month.
Tião (and his mom Raimunda)
Fatima
Tania
Tião is amazing and a little crazy, but his crazyness is just from his love about the gospel. When we were teaching him, he said that this church is probably the most correct church or the Correct church. He's really excited to get to know the church. His mom, we have only met once but we have great hopes for her because she said (Translating from portugues to English) "This church has the name of Jesus Christ so it must be his church and the only true church" So we are going to work that one out and help them go to church this sunday. I'm excited.
Fatima we actually met about 2 weeks ago but she is loving the church and is going to all the activities of the women. She just loves it. I heard that she actually taught the Plan of Salvation about the Three Kingdoms and who goes to all the Kingdoms. Fatima actually doesn't want us to walk past her house to get her to go to church because she said that if she gets used to it and only goes for us, she wont stay strong. She wants to go because she wants to go.
Tania is a cousin of one of the members in a different area but she is golden too. She loved church, already has a testimony about the church and knows that this is the only one and true church. She just has some questions about the Book of Mormon so we are going to help her with that. Tania also wants to stay firm. She doesn't want to get baptized and fall away. That's her biggest fear (Because that basically happened to someone she knows.) She want to be firm forever.
We have other amazing people that we have met. Brasil is just amazing actually and I'm so happy that I'm here.
Our Recent convert Renan wants to serve a mission but unfortunally can't because he will turn 26 in 2 weeks. But he is studying a lot. He's read the Bible and is reading the Book of Mormon. We got in contact with the bishop and he is going to give all the "Teachings of the prophets" books to Renan. Renan is just amazing.
I understand with everything there is an opposite. It even says that in 2 Nephi 2. I'm pretty sure that everything that happens in our missions is suppost to make us stronger and help us grow. So when I find the harder things, I know I'm doing the right things. Pray so that I will have the hardest mission ever. I want to grow. I don't want to stay the same. I have learned that the best things in life are the hardest. Bring It.
I love you
Endure to the End (which doesn't mean just sitting until the end because people say endure and think "Oh I will endure it and not like it, it's more like Work to the End, Work until the end... then work a little bit more and love it. You'll be a whole lot more happy.)
Signing Out (with Love)
Elder Barry
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Joy of Baptisms
Dear Family,
How are ya’ll?
I’m doing dandy, Just dandy. I’m wonderful. Happy, Feliz, Alive, awake, alert, Enthusiastic!!!!
Valparaíso I is amazing. I Just Love this área. You know, I Just realized something. Well yesterday I realized something. You know how I keep finding people in this ward who look like our family. Well, now there is a man who from the side looks like Uncle Mike and someone in the ward who looks like Jenny. Where do these people come from. I have never seen so many people who look like my family. It’s crazy.
I love Brazil. Everyone can’t believe that I gained 20 pounds here in Brazil. They always say that they try to imagine Elder Barry even skinnier. They don’t believe it.
So new news... um... It’s happy news. We are teaching someone named João. He hás been an investigator for about 8 months but during this time he fell off the edge of the world. Randomly, a member found him and brought him to church again. He’s going to get baptized this week. It’s so cool. He is scared of his family. His family doesn’t want him to get baptized. They even stopped it the last time when he had a date 6 months ago. They literally took him to another city so that he wouldn’t get baptized. Yesterday he said that he’s ok and wants to get baptized and his family won't be a problem. He’s about 30 years old and almost went blind. He depends on his family. But his eye sight is coming back and he wants to get baptized. It was a happy moment to see him excited to get baptized. I’m excited.
Well, I Love you all. Have a wonderful week.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
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